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Chris Wesseling

Waiver Wired

Quarterback Quandaries

If you have been hoarding that No. 1 waiver wire pick, this is the week to use it. The ultimate roster stash, Ryan Torain, may be taking over in Denver much sooner than we imagined. Not to be outdone, fellow rookie running backs Ray Rice and Jamaal Charles are putting their stamp on the starting jobs in Baltimore and Kansas City respectively.

Even with the savory running back options, though, this is the week of the waiver wire quarterback. Quarterback changes in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Houston, Detroit, and Chicago have fantasy leaguers scrambling to the waiver wire, trying to impose order out of chaos. Aaron Gleeman did an outstanding job of handicapping the musical quarterbacks in his Daily Dose column this morning, so I'll dispense with the lengthy introduction and get on with the rankings.

On to the waiver wire. Here is how I rank the likely targets at each position. Full writeups of each player are below.

Join subscriber only chats, get weekly rankings before anyone else, plus exclusive weekly projections, stat tools, dynasty ranks, columns, and much more including the Rotoworld Oracle in our Season Pass

***

QUARTERBACKS

Sage Rosenfels, Texans - Thanks to Aaron Gleeman's handiwork, we know that Rosenfels has been a high touchdown, high yardage, high turnover quarterback whenever he has started. In real life, that leaves him just short of an ideal starter due to his penchant for back-breaking turnovers. In fantasy terms, however, that makes him a legit weekly option for as long as Matt Schaub is out.

Rosenfels gets the Ravens this week, with the Colts and Browns on the horizon. If you are looking for a one-week patch, you may want to try Brady Quinn or Shaun Hill. If you're looking further on down road, though, Sage Rosenfels is your man.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Gus Frerotte, Vikings - Frerotte has surprisingly been a Top-5 fantasy quarterback over the past month, capitalizing on Bernard Berrian's deep playmaking ability. He gets the Packers and Buccaneers the next two weeks, so don't go overboard with expectations.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Brady Quinn, Browns - After a month of hemming and hawing, the Browns finally pulled the plug on Derek Anderson. The mighty Quinn's first NFL start will come in the national spotlight Thursday night against a reeling Broncos defense giving up 243 yards per game.

With the surrounding offense becoming more stable, it's a great time for Quinn to get the call. If he can take advantage of Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, and Donte Stallworth, Quinn carries more potential than your typical waiver wire fodder.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Shaun Hill, 49ers - Hill's quick release makes him an interesting option in Mike Martz's offense, and he may just pick up where he left off late last season. Hill should be a fine QB2 the rest of the way, starting this week against Arizona.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Byron Leftwich, Steelers - Coach Mike Tomlin reported that Ben Roethlisberger could have continued to play Monday night, but the team wanted to play it safe. ESPN's Michelle Tafoya, however, painter a more grim picture, pointing out that Big Ben couldn't raise his arm after his shoulder "popped out." The Steelers have a big game this week with the Colts coming to town, but my guess is that Big Ben will be watching from the sidelines for at least one week.

I should disclose up front that I am a charter member of the Byron Leftwich fan club. When healthy, he's been a tough, winning quarterback who doesn't turn the ball over and makes all the throws. It's been unbelievable to me that would-be contenders have chosen to go with the likes of Tarvaris Jackson and Rex Grossman the past couple of seasons while Leftwich sat at home collecting dust. On the other hand, things are working out well for Leftwich with the Steelers, and he could be guiding a Super Bowl contender if Big Ben's shoulder problems persist.

Recommendation: Monitor in 12-team leagues

Daunte Culpepper, Lions - Dan Orlovsky's thumb injury is a great opportunity for 2007 second-rounder Drew Stanton to showcase his skills as a possible quarterback of the future. Unfortunately, a franchise that regular sees its fans show up with heads hidden under grocery bags is worried about their young quarterback embarrassing himself. Suddenly, humiliation is verboten in Detroit.

Meanwhile, Daunte Culpepper is expected to take over as soon as Sunday against the Jaguars. The recently unretired fallen star hasn't played in a year and will get a crash course in the Lions offense before throwing the ball up for grabs to Calvin Johnson. Skepticism is advised.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

Tyler Thigpen, Chiefs - I covered his early season atrocity against the Falcons, so I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the new and improved version of Thigpen. To his credit, though, Thigpen is making plays in the spread offense and suddenly has a nice cache of weapons in the passing game.

Recommendation: Worth a look in two quarterback leagues

Joe Flacco, Ravens - After an ugly stretch early in the season, Flacco is starting to make good on that first-round promise. The rookie will continue to have his ups and downs in the second half, so don't expect anything more than low-end QB2 production.

Recommendation: Worth a look in two quarterback leagues

Rex Grossman, Bears - Rex the Wreck is back! I know what some of you are thinking: Kyle Orton was a punchline too before he made the leap this season; maybe lightning can strike twice. Guess again. Grossman will continue doing his backpedaling routine against the Titans and Packers the next two weeks. Look elsewhere.

Recommendation: Pass

If you have been hoarding that No. 1 waiver wire pick, this is the week to use it. The ultimate roster stash, Ryan Torain, may be taking over in Denver much sooner than we imagined. Not to be outdone, fellow rookie running backs Ray Rice and Jamaal Charles are putting their stamp on the starting jobs in Baltimore and Kansas City respectively.

Even with the savory running back options, though, this is the week of the waiver wire quarterback. Quarterback changes in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Houston, Detroit, and Chicago have fantasy leaguers scrambling to the waiver wire, trying to impose order out of chaos. Aaron Gleeman did an outstanding job of handicapping the musical quarterbacks in his Daily Dose column this morning, so I'll dispense with the lengthy introduction and get on with the rankings.

On to the waiver wire. Here is how I rank the likely targets at each position. Full writeups of each player are below.

Join subscriber only chats, get weekly rankings before anyone else, plus exclusive weekly projections, stat tools, dynasty ranks, columns, and much more including the Rotoworld Oracle in our Season Pass

***

QUARTERBACKS

Sage Rosenfels, Texans - Thanks to Aaron Gleeman's handiwork, we know that Rosenfels has been a high touchdown, high yardage, high turnover quarterback whenever he has started. In real life, that leaves him just short of an ideal starter due to his penchant for back-breaking turnovers. In fantasy terms, however, that makes him a legit weekly option for as long as Matt Schaub is out.

Rosenfels gets the Ravens this week, with the Colts and Browns on the horizon. If you are looking for a one-week patch, you may want to try Brady Quinn or Shaun Hill. If you're looking further on down road, though, Sage Rosenfels is your man.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Gus Frerotte, Vikings - Frerotte has surprisingly been a Top-5 fantasy quarterback over the past month, capitalizing on Bernard Berrian's deep playmaking ability. He gets the Packers and Buccaneers the next two weeks, so don't go overboard with expectations.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Brady Quinn, Browns - After a month of hemming and hawing, the Browns finally pulled the plug on Derek Anderson. The mighty Quinn's first NFL start will come in the national spotlight Thursday night against a reeling Broncos defense giving up 243 yards per game.

With the surrounding offense becoming more stable, it's a great time for Quinn to get the call. If he can take advantage of Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, and Donte Stallworth, Quinn carries more potential than your typical waiver wire fodder.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Shaun Hill, 49ers - Hill's quick release makes him an interesting option in Mike Martz's offense, and he may just pick up where he left off late last season. Hill should be a fine QB2 the rest of the way, starting this week against Arizona.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Byron Leftwich, Steelers - Coach Mike Tomlin reported that Ben Roethlisberger could have continued to play Monday night, but the team wanted to play it safe. ESPN's Michelle Tafoya, however, painter a more grim picture, pointing out that Big Ben couldn't raise his arm after his shoulder "popped out." The Steelers have a big game this week with the Colts coming to town, but my guess is that Big Ben will be watching from the sidelines for at least one week.

I should disclose up front that I am a charter member of the Byron Leftwich fan club. When healthy, he's been a tough, winning quarterback who doesn't turn the ball over and makes all the throws. It's been unbelievable to me that would-be contenders have chosen to go with the likes of Tarvaris Jackson and Rex Grossman the past couple of seasons while Leftwich sat at home collecting dust. On the other hand, things are working out well for Leftwich with the Steelers, and he could be guiding a Super Bowl contender if Big Ben's shoulder problems persist.

Recommendation: Monitor in 12-team leagues

Daunte Culpepper, Lions - Dan Orlovsky's thumb injury is a great opportunity for 2007 second-rounder Drew Stanton to showcase his skills as a possible quarterback of the future. Unfortunately, a franchise that regular sees its fans show up with heads hidden under grocery bags is worried about their young quarterback embarrassing himself. Suddenly, humiliation is verboten in Detroit.

Meanwhile, Daunte Culpepper is expected to take over as soon as Sunday against the Jaguars. The recently unretired fallen star hasn't played in a year and will get a crash course in the Lions offense before throwing the ball up for grabs to Calvin Johnson. Skepticism is advised.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

Tyler Thigpen, Chiefs - I covered his early season atrocity against the Falcons, so I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the new and improved version of Thigpen. To his credit, though, Thigpen is making plays in the spread offense and suddenly has a nice cache of weapons in the passing game.

Recommendation: Worth a look in two quarterback leagues

Joe Flacco, Ravens - After an ugly stretch early in the season, Flacco is starting to make good on that first-round promise. The rookie will continue to have his ups and downs in the second half, so don't expect anything more than low-end QB2 production.

Recommendation: Worth a look in two quarterback leagues

Rex Grossman, Bears - Rex the Wreck is back! I know what some of you are thinking: Kyle Orton was a punchline too before he made the leap this season; maybe lightning can strike twice. Guess again. Grossman will continue doing his backpedaling routine against the Titans and Packers the next two weeks. Look elsewhere.

Recommendation: Pass

RUNNING BACKS

Ryan Torain, Broncos - The Stash-Man cometh. With Michael Pittman and Andre Hall out of the season, the roster stash has gone from luxury to necessity in Denver. Mike Shanahan has referred to Torain as a Terrell Davis-like talent, which is high praise indeed. Even better, he's calling the rookie his healthiest running back on the team, which means he's going to get the rock Thursday against the Browns. Although Selvin Young will also be involved, expect a significant role for Torain the rest of the season.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Ray Rice, Ravens - Is Willis McGahee going the way of Edgerrin James? The veteran can't shake his ever-increasing injuries while the rookie keeps impressing. Coach John Harbaugh expressed confidence in Rice and stated that he will have a larger role going forward.

It's going to be tough to sit a promising young talent averaging close to 8.0 yards per carry over the past two weeks, so expect Rice to keep rolling.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs - With Kolby Smith out of the season and Larry Johnson suspended until at least Week 11, Charles makes for a nice one-week start against the Chargers. Johnson's post-suspension role is an open question, so Charles could maintain value going forward. The rookie speedster won't be a 20-carry back, but he could be used as a poor man's Chris Johnson later in the season.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Cedric Benson, Bengals - Benson's rebirth is legit. I can't believe I just typed it, but it's true. Benson is running with confidence and authority for the first time in his career, and he now has a 100-yard game under his belt as proof. It's worth keeping in mind, however, that Benson has a bye this week before taking on Philly, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore the next three weeks.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Selvin Young, Broncos - Because Young never gets into the end zone and has a hard time staying healthy, I prefer Ryan Torain in the Denver backfield. The rookie is hardly a sure bet going forward, so it makes sense to gamble on Young as well. Young may be a better choice in PPR leagues, but Torain has the higher upside.

Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues

Derrick Ward, Giants - We keep recommending him as a weekly flex play, and Ward keeps producing. As sure bet for a few receptions and 50+ total yards weekly, Ward makes for a better play than several of the fickle starters around the league.

Greg Camarillo, Dolphins - Despite being a waiver wire recommendation for over a month now, Camarillo is still owned in just a third of all leagues. That percentage is sure to go up this week after Camarillo's 11-catch, 111-yard effort in Denver. Expect 5-6 receptions and 50+ yards per game, and you won't be disappointed.

Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues

Mike Walker, Jaguars - It's a weak group of wide receivers on the wire, so stashing Walker makes more sense than reaching for an underwhelming WR5. Coach Jack Del Rio said last week that he expects a Week 10 return for Walker, and he could be in line for a significant role if Matt Jones' suspension kicks in soon.

Recommendation: Monitor in 12-team leagues

Shaun McDonald, Lions - McDonald isn't an exciting option, especially with the change at quarterback. Still, he's coming off two straight games with at least five receptions and 60 yards.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

Mark Bradley, Chiefs - It was a rash of injuries, not lack of talent, that caused the Bears to dump Bradley early this season. The Chiefs swooped in and may have gotten themselves a steal. Bradley has nine catches for 107 yards the past two games, and his offensive role is increasing weekly. Against the Bucs Sunday, he also threw one of the most impressive non-quarterback passes you will ever see.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

Roscoe Parrish, Bills - After the Jets game, it's obvious that Parrish has taken over as Josh Reed's replacement in the Bills offense. Parrish offers much more playmaking ability than Reed ever did and could be a desperation WR3 for a couple more weeks.

Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues

TIGHT ENDS

Tony Scheffler, Broncos - Out since Week 5 with a groin injury, Scheffler has been dropped in quite a few leagues. With waiver wire tight end options growing sparse, it's time to pick up Scheffler and gamble that he will be ready to play come Thursday night. At the very least, he makes for a nice stash for Week 11 and beyond.

Recommendation: Should be owned 12-team leagues

Brent Celek, Eagles - Celek will never again rack up 131 yards in a game, but the athletic pass-catcher could see an increased role going forward. Monitor L.J. Smith's status this week and consider picking up Celek if L.J. struggles to practice.

Recommendation: Monitor in 12-team leagues

TEAM DEFENSE

Jaguars - Slippery-mitted Daunte Culpepper has been a dream fantasy matchup for years now. Put him in a Lions uniform after a year away from the game and drooling ensues.

Jets - After harassing Trent Edwards all game in Week 10, the Jets return home to face a struggling Rams offense that could be starting their fourth-string running back. This game has spot-start written all over it for the Jets defense.

Chris Wesseling is a senior football editor and Dynasty league analyst for Rotoworld.com. The 2011 NFL season marks his fifth year with Rotoworld and his third year contributing to NBCSports.com. He can be found on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.Email :Chris Wesseling